Fluent material dispenser



Dec. 26, 1967 J. A. TICHENOR ETAL 3,35

FLUENT MATERIAL DISPENSER Filed April 29, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGI -INVENTORS JAMES A.TlCHENOR CHARLES R. MISCHKE BY [My MA illw Jivll/wwd cI ATTORNEYS 1967 J. A. TICHENOR ETAL 3,359,765

FLUENT MATERIAL DISPENSER Filed April 29, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UnitedStates Patent tion of Delaware Filed Apr. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 546,393 17Claims. (Cl. 68207) This invention relates to a dispenser forautomatically discharging fluent material such as fabric softeners,conditioners or the like into a rotatable vessel subjected to varyingspeeds of rotation such as the spin basket of a washing machine.

In Patent 3,107,512 of Oct. 22, 1963, assigned to the same assignee asthe present application, there is disclosed and claimed an automaticdispenser for discharging fluent material into a rotatable vessel. Inthe structure of the patent a movable container is provided that tendsto move outwardly from the center of rotation on increasing speeds ofrotation with the container being adapted to hold the fluent materialand having a force displaceable cover which is released at a desiredspeed of rotation of the vessel to open an opening in the container sothat when the vessel speed decreases gravity will cause the fluentmaterial to flow from the container into the vessel. As is pointed outin this prior patent, such a device is ideally suited for automaticallyadding softeners or conditioners for fabric in a washing machine.

One of the features of the present invention is to provide a dispenserof this same general type as disclosed and claimed in the prior patentbut which has improved mounting means for the dispenser with the resultthat the dispenser is more easily mounted in the vessel and once mountedin operating position cannot be accidentally released from its mountingbracket but can be easily removed by the user for recharging with fluentmaterial and reinstalling on its mounting bracket.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be discussedhereinafter and will be apparent from the following description of oneembodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Of the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary radial sectional view through a side wall ofthe spin basket of a washing machine taken forwardly of and lookingtoward a mounting bracket structure which in conjunction with theremovable container embodies the invention. 7

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the bracketstructure looking toward the bracket from the left of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the bracket structure separated from the spinbasket.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken along line 44 ofFIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 but taken along line 5-5 ofFIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view partially in section of thedispensing container for the fluent material arranged horizontally inthe position it occupies on the bracket of FIGURES 15 and with the lidopen in material dispensing position.

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view of the container with the lid closedlooking toward the container from the right of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along line 88 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken along line 99 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing the containerinstalled in operating position on the bracket.

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIGURE 6.

The dispenser illustrated in the accompanying drawings for automaticallydischarging fluent material into a rotatable vessel such as the spinbasket 10 of a washing machine that is subjected to varying speeds ofrotation comprises an inwardly extending mounting bracket 11 that isintegral wtih a vertical member 12 normally arranged against the innersurface of the basket 10 as shown in FIGURES 1 and 10. The verticalmember 12 has a top forwardly curved part 13 located within the confinesof the rolled edge 14 of the basket.

Normally mounted on the bracket 11, as shown in FIG- URE 10, is acontainer 14 of cup shape with its bottom 15 located adjacent the basket10 and its forward end 16 facing toward the center of the basket.

The container 14 is provided with a socket means 17 integral therewithand positioned on top of the container when the container is inoperating position as shown in FIGURE 10. The socket means which isgenerally cylindrical has an open front end 18, an open rear end 19 andreceives the bracket 11 as shown in FIGURE 10 for mounting the containeron the vessel or basket 10 in operating position. In this position thecontainer 14 hangs vertically as illustrated with the forward end 20 ofthe bracket 11 extending forwardly beyond the front end 18 of the socket17. In this position the container 14 is freely movable rearwardly or tothe right as shown in FIGURE 10 under the centrifugal forces set up bythe rotation of the basket 14 The container, when the lid is in openposition as shown in FIGURE 6, has a discharge opening 21 at the frontor forward end 16. As the container 14 is of cup shape, the side 22slopes forwardly as shown in FIGURE 10 to aid the gravity flow of fluentmaterial from the container when the fluent contents (not shown) aredischarge therefrom.

The container is provided with a displaceable closure 23 hingedlyattached to an extending lip 24 on the bottom of the forward end 16 ofthe container when it is in position on the bracket 11. The closure 23is normally in closed position as shown in FIGURE 10. It can be snappedinto this closed position by engagement of the beaded rim 25 on theinner surface of the closure 23 engaging a similarly shaped annulargroove 26 in the inner surface of the forward end 16 of the container14. In order to prevent accidental spillage of the contents of thecontainer 14 especially where a liquid is the fluent material, there isprovided a rubber gasket 27 held in a groove 28 on the closureimmediately behind the beaded rim 25.

The closure 23 which as stated is normally closed is provided with anupwardly extending flange 29 at the top when the container is ininstalled position which is aligned with the forward end 20 of thebracket 11. The forward end 20 comprises means on the bracket 11engaging the closure at the flange 29 for displacing the closure 23 uponsliding movement of the container 14 to the rear, or to the right asseen in FIGURE 10, such movement caused by a predetermined centrifugalforce due to the basket 10 reaching a predetermined speed of rotation.

The bracket 11 and container socket 17 are provided with cooperatingmeans so that when the container is installed on the bracket by slidingit rearwardly, or to the right as shown in FIGURE 1, on the bracket thismovement can only occur when the container is in an initial positionwhich is extending downwardly in the lower right quadrant from thebracket 11 as viewed in FIGURE 2. The cooperating means on the containercomprises an inwardly projecting part 30 on the socket 17. A guidesurface 31 of this part 30 is essentially flat and slides on a flatguide surface 32 of bracket guide surface part 32a located on bracket11. As can be seen in FIG- URE 2, this guide surface 32 is at an angleto the horizontal in the lower left quadrant of the bracket when viewedfrom its inner end.

As stated earlier, when the container 14 is in its operating position asshown in FIGURE it is suspended downwardly beneath the bracket 11. Whenin this position cooperating lock means on the container and the bracketprevent forward movement of the container while it is in its operatingposition. In the embodiment shown, this cooperating lock means isprovided by the inwardly projecting part 30 at the rearward end of thesocket 17 being located in a recessed portion 33 on the bracket 11. Thisrecessed portion 33 is provided by terminating the bracket guide surfacepart 32a short of the rear end of the bracket as shown in FIGURE 3.

When installing the container 14 on the bracket 11 as described in whichthe container can only be moved rearwardly on the bracket when in thelower right quadrant position on the bracket as viewed in FIGURE 2, therearward movement of the container on the bracket is continued until thebottom 15 of the container strikes a stop means 34 associated with thebracket. In the illustrated embodiment this stop means comprises araised part integral with the bracket 11 and located to the right andslightly downwardly of the bracket 11 when viewed from the front as inFIGURE 2. The stop 34 is provided so that the container 14 can only bemoved to a pre selected rearward position which is insufficient to causethe front end of the bracket 11 to accidentally displace and open theclosure 23.

In order to retain the container in the initial position as describedwith its bottom 15 against the stop 34 there is provided a catch meanson the bracket 11 engaged by the socket 17. This retention of thecontainer in the initial position is preparatory to moving the containerto its operating position shown in FIGURE 10. In the illustratedembodiment the yielding catch means comprises a raised portion 35 on thebracket 11 toward but short of the rear thereof separated from the restof the bracket to provide yielding resiliency as by a slot 36 extendingfrom side to side through the bracket beneath the raised portion 35.With this arrangement the portion 35 is on a thin strip 37 (FIGURE 4)separated from the remainder of the bracket by the slot 36. Adequateresiliency is provided in this manner particularly where the bracket 11and the parts integral therewith are constructed of a resilient plasticmaterial such as molded Delrin.

When the container has been moved rearwardly in this inner positionuntil the resilient raised portion or catch is depressed and forcedwithin the socket means 17 at the rear end 19 thereof, the resistance ofthe socket 17 passing over the top of the catch 35 causes the bottom 15of the container 14 to snap against the stop 34 to create an audiblesignal to the user that the container 14 is in proper position. When inthis position a longitudinally extending raised catch portion 38 orridge within the socket 17 at the rear thereof is located adjacent thecatch 35 and to the left thereof as viewed in FIGURE 2. Then thecontainer 14 is rotated from its lower right quadrant initial positionin a clockwise direction as viewed from the front or left of FIGURE 10to the downwardly extending operating position as shown in FIGURE 10.

During this rotation, which is through an arc of approximately the ridge38 on the socket 17 moves with a snap from the previously described leftside of the catch 35 viewed from FIGURE 2 to the right side as viewed inthis figure. This likewise gives an audible signal when completed to theuser. In order to aid this passage of the ridge 38 over the catch 35 theforward or leading surface 39 of the catch 35 is smoothly sloped, asshown most clearly in FIGURE 5. Because of this smooth sloping the ridge38 within the socket 17 rides easily over the peak of the catch andsnaps down behind or to the right of the catch as viewed in FIGURE 5. Inorder to prevent reverse movement of the container or movement in acounterclockwise direction from the downwardly hanging operatingposition of FIGURE 10 to the previously described initial installingposition, the rear surface 40 of the catch 35 drops off sharply, asshown most clearly in FIGURE 5, to thereby preclude it from acting as acamming surface. As the longitudinal ridge 38 is now adjacent thissurface 40, the cooperation of the ridge 38 and the surface 40effectively prevents the reverse rotation.

As stated earlier, the cooperation of the inwardly projecting guide 30on the socket 17 and the recessed part 33 at the rear of the guidesurface part 31 effectively prevents the container 14 being movedforwardly from the bracket 11 when in operating position. However, inorder to release the container from its bracket there are provided lockrelease means on the container and the bracket operable on movement ofthe container arcuately forwardly of its downwardly extending normaloperating position. In the disclosed embodiment, this forward movementis from the downward extending operating position into the lower leftquadrant from the bracket 11 as viewed in FIGURE 2.

In the illustrated embodiment the lock release means on the containerand the bracket comprises the inclined edge or surface 41 of theinwardly projecting part 30 (FIGURE 11) at the rear of the socket 17 andthe forwardly rounded rear surface 42 (FIGURE 3) on the rear of thebracket guide surface part 32a on the bracket 11. With this arrangement,in removing the container 14 from its downwardly hanging position ofFIGURE 10 which as described is the normal operating position it is onlynecessary to grasp the container 14 and pull it forwardly or to the leftas shown in FIGURE 10 while turning it from its lower position to thepreviously described lower left quadrant position. During this forwardand arcuate pulling the inclined socket surface 41 rides up and over therounded rear surface 42 of the bracket to force the inwardly extendingguide part 30 of the socket from the recess 33. This release from therecess 33 is aided by the resiliency of the bracket 11 in the area ofthe recess 33 provided by the previously described slot 36.

Also assisting in the release of the container 14 from the bracket 11 isthe upwardly inclined surface 43 on the outwardly extending arm 44 ofbracket 11. During the various machine operations this arm 44 functionsto preclude the container 14 from moving to a lock release position dueto the interference of the arm 44 with the side 22 of the container.However, when a manual forward and arcuate pulling force is applied tothe container, the rearward extreme of the container side 22 strikes theinclined "surface 43 of the arm 44 thus camming the container forwardlyand to thereby assist the previously described camming action takingplace between the inclined socket surface 41 and the rounded rearsurface 42 of the bracket 11.

The operation of the dispenser is as follows. With the container 14removed from the bracket 11, it is filled to the desired level with afluent material such as a laundry fabric conditioner and the closure 23snapped to closed position. In this position the gasket 27 around theinterior of the closure 23 prevents leakage if the fluent material is aliquid. The container is then placed on the front end of the bracket 11while holding the container in the lower right quadrant as viewed fromthe front of the bracket. It is moved rearwardly in this position untilthe catch 35 enters the rear end 19 of the socket 17. Because someresistance to movement of the container is caused by the entering of thecatch 35 into the socket the bottom 15 of the container snaps againstthe stop 34. The resilient catch 35 holds the container in this initialor lower right quadrant position. The container is then rotatedclockwise on the bracket 11 approximately 45 or to a downwardlyextending position as shown in FIGURE 10. During this movement thesocket ridge 38 passes over the surface 39 to the rear surface 40 withthis movement being permitted by the inward flexing of the catch 35 onits resilient strip 37.

When in this downwardly extending position, the container 14 is readyfor operation. The container cannot be drawn straight forwardly from thebracket 11 because of the engagement of the inwardly projecting end 30of the socket 17 in the bracket recess 33 that is adjacent the rearthereof. The spin basket of the washing machine is then operated in thecustomary manner through its operating cycles and the fluent material isretained in the container 14. Then, at a predetermined high speed ofrotation when it is time in the cycle to introduce the fluent materialfrom the container 14 into the basket 10, the centrifugal force is greatenough to cause the flange 29 to strike the forward end 20 of thebracket 11 and snap the closure 23 to open position as shown in FIGURE6. When the speed falls sufiiciently so that gravity overcomes thecentrifugal force on the fluent material, it thereupon flows by gravityfrom the container 14 into the basket 10.

In starting a new cycle of operation the container 14 is removed fromthe bracket 11 and refilled with fluent material. This removal isaccomplished by arcuately moving the container 14 beyond its downwardlyextending position or to the lower left quadrant of the bracket 11, asviewed in FIGURE 2, and pulling forwardly on the container at the sametime. This causes the inclined surface 41 to ride up and over therounded rear surface 42 to permit the guide part of the socket 17 toleave the recessed part 33. This release movement is aided by theresiliency of the strip'37 on which the catch is mounted and the cammingaction taking place between the upwardly inclined surface 43 onoutwardly extending arm 44 of the bracket and the rearward extremes ofthe container side 22. Once the release has been effected in thismanner, the container .is withdrawn easily from the bracket 11 whileretaining the container in its lower left quadrant position duringthewithdrawal.

As can be seen from the above description, the dispenser of thisinvention permits easy installation on its supporting bracket and onceinstalled cannot be accidentally dislodged. Furthermore, the opening ofthe container for automatic dispensing is smoothly and automaticallyaccomplished at a preselected speed of rotation. Because of the slopedside of the container it drains rapidly and completely once thecentrifugal force is low enough to be overcome by gravity. Then, at thecompletion of the cycle the dispenser is very easily withdrawn from itsbracket preparatory to reloading and reinstalling for the next cycle ofoperation.

Having described our invention as related to the embodiment shown in theaccompanying drawings, it is our intention that the invention be notlimited by any of the details of description, unless otherwisespecified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scopeas set out in the accompanying claims.

The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed is defined as follows:

1. A dispenser for automatically discharging fluent material into arotatable vessel subjected to varying speeds of rotation, comprising: aninwardly extending mounting bracket on said vessel; a container for saidfluent material having socket means with open front and rear ends andreceiving said bracket for mounting the container on said vessel inoperating position for rearward movement on the bracket under the forcesof said rotation, said bracket extending forwardly beyond said socketfront end and said container having a. discharge opening to permit flowof said material therethrough when said vessel is at rest; a normallyclosed displaceable closure for said opening; and means on said bracketengaging said closure for displacing the same on said rearward movement.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said container is slidablerearwardly on said bracket when installing said container, and there areprovided cooperating means on said container and bracket permitting saidsliding only when said container is in an initial position relative tosaid bracket that is spaced from said operating position, stop meansassociated with said bracket limiting said initial position sliding to apoint short of said engagement of said bracket means with said closure,and means on said bracket for permitting arcuate movement of saidcontainer from said initial position to said operating position.

3. The dispenser of claim 2 wherein said cooperating means on thecontainer and bracket permitting the sliding only when the container isin an initial position comprises a guide means on said container at saidsocket means engaging a second longitudinally extending guide means onsaid bracket.

4. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said container is normally arrangedat least approximately horizontally on said bracket when in operatingposition, said socket means is substantially at the top of saidcontainer and said discharge opening is at the forward end of saidcontainer.

5. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said means on said bracket engagingsaid closure for displacing the same comprises an end portion of thebracket extending forwardly of the socket means but short of saidclosure when the container is in said operating position with saidcontainer being slidable rearwardly on the bracket at a preselectedspeed of rotation of said vessel for engagement of said bracket portionwith said closure for displacing the same.

6. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein there are provided cooperating lockmeans on said container and bracket for preventing forward movement ofthe container on said bracket when in said operating position.

7. The dispenser of claim 6 wherein said cooperating lock means on thecontainer and bracket preventing forward movement of the container onthe bracket when in its operating position comprises a recessed portionon said bracket engaged by an inwardly projecting portion on said socketmeans when the container is in its operating position.

8. The dispenser of claim 7 wherein there are provided cooperating lockrelease means on said container and bracket operable on movement of saidcontainer beyond said operating position for releasing said lock meansto permit inward removal movement of said container on said bracket.

9. The dispenser of claim 8 wherein said cooperating lock release meanson the container and bracket comprises a first inclined surface portionon said socket means and a second rounded surface portion on the bracketmeans cooperating on said movement of said container beyond saidoperating position to remove said lock means from said recessed portion,thereby permitting forward removal of said container from said bracket.

10. The dispenser of claim 7 wherein said cooperating means on thecontainer and bracket permitting the sliding only when the container isin an initial position comprises a guide means on said container at saidsocket means engaging a second longitudinally extending guide means onsaid bracket, said second longitudinally extending guide means on saidbracket terminating short of the rear end of said bracket to providesaid recessed portion.

11. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said container is slidablerearwardly on said bracket when installing said container, and there areprovided cooperating means on said container and bracket permitting saidsliding only when said container is in an initial position relative tosaid bracket that is spaced from said operating position, stop meansassociated with said bracket limiting said initial position sliding to apoint short of said engagement of said bracket means with said closure,and yielding catch means on said bracket engaged by said socket means 7when said container is at said stop means to retain said container insaid initial position preparatory to movement of the container to saidoperating position.

12. The dispenser of claim 11 wherein said yielding catch meanscomprises a raised portion on said bracket separated from the rest ofthe bracket to provide yielding resiliency in said catch means.

13. The dispenser of claim 11 wherein said socket means is provided witha raised catch portion at one side of said yielding catch means when thecontainer is in said initial position, said catch portion passing oversaid yielding catch means in arcuately moving said container on saidbracket to said operating position.

14. The dispenser of claim 7 wherein said container is slidablerearwardly on said bracket when installing said container, and there areprovided cooperating means on said container and bracket permitting saidsliding only when said container is in an initial position relative tosaid bracket that is spaced from said operating position, stop meansassociated with said bracket limiting said initial position sliding to apoint short of said engagement of said bracket means with said closure,yielding catch means on said bracket engaged by said socket means whensaid container is at said stop means to retain said container in saidinitial position preparatory to movement of the container to saidoperating position, said yielding catch means comprises a raised portionon said bracket separated from the rest of the bracket to provideyielding resiliency in said catch means, said socket means is providedwith a raised catch portion at one side of said yielding catch meanswhen the container is in said initial position, said catch portionpassing over said yielding catch means in arcuately moving saidcontainer on said bracket to said operating position.

15. The dispenser of claim 14 wherein there are provided cooperatinglock means on said container and bracket for preventing forward movementof the container on said bracket when in said operating position,

said lock means comprising a recessed portion on said bracket engaged byan inwardly projecting portion on said socket means when the containeris in its operating position, said cooperating means on the containerand bracket permitting the sliding only when the container is in aninitial position comprising a guide means on said container at saidsocket means engaging a second longitudinally extending guide means onsaid bracket, said inwardly projecting portion of said lock means thatis on said socket means comprising a part of said guide means.

16. The dispenser of claim 15 wherein there are provided cooperatinglock release means on said container and bracket operable on movement ofsaid container beyond said operating position for releasing said lockmeans to permit inward removal movement of said container on saidbracket.

17. The dispenser of claim 16 wherein said cooperating lock releasemeans on the container and bracket com- 20 prises a first inclinedsurface portion on said socket means and a second rounded surfaceportion on the bracket means cooperating on said movement of saidcontainer beyond said operating position to remove said lock means fromsaid recessed portion, thereby permitting forward removal of saidcontainer from said bracket, said first inclined surface portion on saidsocket means comprises an edge of said inwardly projecting portion, andsaid second rounded surface portion comprises the rear end of saidsecond guide means on said bracket that is adjacent said recessedportion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,048,993 8/1962 Lucas et a1.68-17 3,095,722 7/1963 Fox 68-17 X 3,107,512 10/1963 Cobb 68--17 IRVINGBUNEVICH, Primary Examiner.

1. A DISPENSER FOR AUTOMATICALLY DISCHARGING FLUENT MATERIAL INTO AROTATABLE VESSEL SUBJECTED TO VARYING SPEEDS OF ROTATION, COMPRISING: ANINWARDLY EXTENDING MOUNTING BRACKET ON SAID VESSEL; A CONTAINER FOR SAIDFLUENT MATERIAL HAVING SOCKET MEANS WITH OPEN FRONT AND REAR ENDS ANDRECEIVING SAID BRACKET FOR MOUNTING THE CONTAINER ON SAID VESSEL INOPERATING POSITION FOR REARWARD MOVEMENT ON THE BRACKET UNDER THE FORCESOF SAID ROTATION, SAID BRACKET